Inner Collection of Sayings, Part Two — The Six Subtleties內儲說下六微

The six subtle signs. The first is power lent to those below. The second is differing interests borrowing from outside. The third is leaning on what resembles. The fourth is benefit and harm reversed. The fifth is rival suspicion quarreling within. The sixth is an enemy state casting down and setting up men. These six are what a ruler must examine.

Power and position cannot be lent to another. When the one above loses one part of it, a minister makes it a hundred. So when a minister has borrowed it, his strength is great; when his strength is great, those within and those without are used by him; and when those within and those without are used by him, the ruler is walled in. The explanation lies in Lao Dan's words about losing the fish. For this reason, when a ruler talks long with a man, those about the ruler sell it. The trouble lies in Xutong's remonstrance with Duke Li, in the one word of Zhou Hou, and in the man of Yan who bathed in dog dung.

The lending of power is the first.

The interests of ruler and minister differ, and so no minister is loyal, and when the minister's interest stands, the ruler's interest is wiped out. For this reason the treacherous minister calls in the soldiers of an enemy to clear away those within, and raises affairs abroad to dazzle his ruler. If only he gains his own private profit, he does not look back at the harm to the state. The explanation lies in the man of Wei and his wife at their prayers. So Dai Xie argued about the princes, and the Three Huan attacked Duke Zhao; Gongshu let in the army of Qi, and Zhai Huang called in the soldiers of Han; Grand Steward Pi spoke to the great officer Zhong, and Dacheng Niu taught Shen Buhai; Sima Xi reported to the king of Zhao, and Lü Cang worked upon Qin and Chu; Song Shi sent a letter to Wei Jun, and Bai Gui taught Bao Qian.

Differing interests is the second.

Things that resemble one another are how a ruler goes wrong in putting men to death and how a great minister accomplishes his private ends. For this reason the gatekeeper poured out water and Yi She was put to death; the Lord of Jiyang forged a royal order himself and two men were charged with the crime; Sima Xi killed Yuan Qian and Ji Xin was put to death; Zheng Xiu spoke of a foul smell and the new woman's nose was cut off; Fei Wuji taught Xi Wan and the chief minister (令尹) put him to death; Chen Xu killed Zhang Shou and Xishou fled. So the fodder store was burned and the prince of Zhongshan was charged with the crime, and the old scholar was killed and the killer was rewarded by the Lord of Jiyang.

Resemblance is the third.

When a thing arises and someone gains by it, he is the one who directed it; and when someone is harmed by it, the matter must be examined the other way about. For this reason the judging of an enlightened ruler is this: when the state is harmed, he looks into who gains by it; when a minister is harmed, he looks into who stands opposite him. The explanation lies in the soldiers of Chu arriving and Chen Xu becoming prime minister, and in millet seed growing dear and the granary clerk being investigated. For this reason Zhao Xixu seized the man who sold thatch, and Marquis Xi rebuked the cook next in line; a hair was wound about Duke Wen's roast, and the Marquis of Rang asked that an emperor be set up.

Reversal is the fourth.

The situation of rival suspicion is where disorder is born, and so an enlightened ruler is careful of it. For this reason Li Ji of Jin killed the crown prince Shensheng, and the lady of Zheng used poison; Zhouyu of Wei killed his ruler Wan, and Prince Gen took the Eastern Zhou; Prince Zhi was greatly favored and Shangchen did indeed raise a revolt; Yan Sui and Han Kui contended and Marquis Ai did indeed meet with assassins; Tian Chang and Kan Zhi, Dai Huan and Huang Xi stood against each other, and the ruler of Song and Duke Jian were killed. The explanation lies in Hu Tu speaking of the "two fondnesses" and in Zheng Zhao answering that the crown prince "is not yet born."

Rival suspicion is the fifth.

What an enemy works at is to pry too far and to topple men, and if a ruler does not examine it, the enemy casts down and sets up men at will. So King Wen gave means to Fei Zhong, and the king of Qin was troubled by the envoy of Chu; Li Ju drove Zhongni away, and Gan Xiang blocked Gan Mao. For this reason Wu Zixu spread a word abroad and Zichang was used; beautiful women were sent in and Yu and Guo fell; a letter was dropped on purpose and Chang Hong died; the blood of a cock and a boar was used and the finest men of Kuai were all destroyed.

Casting down and setting up is the sixth.

The affairs of rival suspicion and of casting down and setting up an enlightened ruler cuts off within and works abroad. He gives means to the lighter man and helps the weaker man, and this is called attacking from the ancestral hall. When checking by threes and fives is already used within and watching and listening are carried on abroad as well, the enemy's deceits are caught. The explanation lies in the dwarf of Qin telling Lord Huiwen. So Xiang Ci spoke of the raid on Ye, and Duke Si gave the magistrate a mat.

Attacking from the ancestral hall. The above is the guiding text.

One. Power and weight are the ruler's deep pool, and the ministers are the fish of that power and weight. When a fish leaves the pool it cannot be got back again, and when a ruler loses his power and weight to a minister it cannot be gathered back again. The men of old found it hard to speak straight out, and so they put it in terms of fish.

Reward and punishment are sharp tools. The ruler holds them and controls his ministers; the minister who gets hold of them embraces his ruler. So if the ruler shows beforehand whom he will reward, the minister sells it and makes it his own kindness; and if the ruler shows beforehand whom he will punish, the minister sells it and makes it his own awe. Therefore it is said, "The sharp tools of a state cannot be shown to others."

When Lord Jingguo was prime minister of Qi, if he talked long with an old friend, that friend grew rich; and if he gave a brush to one of his attendants, that attendant grew weighty. A long talk and the gift of a brush are small means, and yet they make a man rich. How much more the power of office?

In the time of Duke Li of Jin the six high ministers were noble. Xutong and Zhangyu Jiao remonstrated with him, saying, "When great ministers are noble and weighty, contend with their ruler over affairs, bargain abroad and plant their own factions, throw the law of the state into disorder below and seize their ruler above, a state has never yet failed to be in danger." The duke said, "Good." Then he put three of the ministers to death. Xutong and Zhangyu Jiao remonstrated again, saying, "When men of the same guilt are put to death by halves and not to the end, this leaves them nursing resentment and lends them an opening." The duke said, "In one morning I have wiped out three ministers. I cannot bear to do away with them all." Zhangyu Jiao answered, "If my lord cannot bear it, they will bear it against my lord." The duke did not listen. Three months later the ministers raised a revolt, and in the end they killed Duke Li and divided his land.

Zhou Hou was prime minister of Chu, and he grew noble and took the deciding of affairs into his own hands. The king of Chu suspected him and asked those about him, and they answered that there was no such thing, as if the words came out of one mouth.

The man of Yan was not bewitched, and yet he bathed in dog dung. The wife of a man of Yan had a secret affair with a certain gentleman. Her husband came home early from outside, and the gentleman had just gone out. The husband said, "What guest was that?" His wife said, "There was no guest." He asked those about him, and they said there had been none, as if the words came out of one mouth. His wife said, "My lord is bewitched and seeing things." Then she bathed him in dog dung.

Some tell it this way. Li Ji, a man of Yan, was fond of going far from home, and his wife had a secret affair with a certain gentleman. Li Ji came back suddenly while the gentleman was inside, and the wife was distressed. The woman of the house said, "Have the young gentleman strip and loosen his hair and go straight out the gate. We will all pretend not to see him." So the young gentleman followed her plan and ran quickly out the gate. Li Ji said, "Who was that man?" The whole household said, "There was no one." Li Ji said, "Have I seen a ghost?" The woman said, "You have." "What is to be done about it?" She said, "Take the dung of the five animals and bathe in it." Li Ji said, "I will." Then he bathed in dung. Some say he bathed in water boiled with orchid.

Two. Among the people of Wei there were a husband and wife at their prayers, and the wife prayed, saying, "Let me come to no harm and gain a hundred bundles of cloth." Her husband said, "Why so little?" She answered, "If it were more than that, you would buy a concubine."

The king of Chu wished to place his princes in office among the four neighboring states. Dai Xie said, "It cannot be done." "If the princes hold office among the four neighbors, the four neighbors will surely hold them weighty." He said, "If a son goes out and grows weighty, then being weighty he will surely become of the party of the state that made him weighty. This is teaching your sons to bargain abroad, and it is not convenient."

Mengsun, Shusun and Jisun of Lu joined their strength to coerce Duke Zhao, and in the end they took his state and held its government at their own will. When the Three Huan of Lu pressed the duke, Duke Zhao attacked the Jisun clan, and the Mengsun clan and the Shusun clan took counsel together, saying, "Shall we rescue them?" The driver of the Shusun clan said, "I am a household retainer. What do I know of the duke's house? Which is better for us, that there be a Jisun or that there be none?" All of them said, "If there is no Jisun, there will surely be no Shusun." "Then let us rescue them." So they broke through the northwest corner and went in. When Mengsun saw the banners of Shusun go in, he too came to the rescue. The Three Huan became one, and Duke Zhao could not prevail. He was driven out and died at Ganhou.

Gongshu was prime minister of Han when there was a campaign against Qi. Gongzhong stood very weighty with the king, and Gongshu, fearing that the king would make Gongzhong prime minister, had Qi and Han agree together to attack Wei. Then Gongshu let the army of Qi into the city of Zheng, so as to coerce his own ruler, to make his own place firm, and to make the pact of the two states trustworthy.

Zhai Huang was a minister of the king of Wei, and he was on good terms with Han. So he called in the soldiers of Han and had them attack Wei, and then he asked leave to make peace on behalf of the king of Wei, so as to make himself weighty.

The king of Yue attacked the king of Wu. The king of Wu apologized and declared his submission, and the king of Yue wished to grant it. Fan Li and the great officer Zhong said, "It cannot be done. In the old days Heaven gave Yue to Wu, and Wu did not take it. Now Heaven has turned against Fuchai, and this too is Heaven's calamity. Heaven gives Wu to Yue. Bow twice and take it. It cannot be granted." Grand Steward Pi sent a letter to the great officer Zhong, saying, "When the cunning hares are all gone, the good hound is boiled; when the enemy state is destroyed, the minister who plans is lost. Why does the great officer not let Wu be and keep it as a trouble for Yue?" The great officer Zhong received the letter and read it, and he sighed deeply and said, "Kill him. Yue and Wu share one fate."

Dacheng Niu came from Zhao and said to Shen Buhai in Han, "If you make me weighty in Zhao by the strength of Han, I ask leave to make you weighty in Han by the strength of Zhao. Then you will have two Hans and I will have two Zhaos."

Sima Xi was a minister of the ruler of Zhongshan, and he was on good terms with Zhao, and he once secretly reported the plans of Zhongshan to the king of Zhao.

Lü Cang was a minister of the king of Wei, and he was on good terms with Qin and Chu. He secretly urged Qin and Chu to attack Wei, and then he asked leave to go about making peace, so as to make himself weighty.

Song Shi was a general of the great state of Wei, and a man named Wei Jun was a general of Chu. The two states were locked in trouble, and both men were generals. Song Shi sent a letter to Wei Jun, saying, "The two armies stand against each other and the two banners look upon each other. Only let us not fight even one battle. If we fight, the two of us will surely not both survive. This is the affair of two rulers. There is no private quarrel between you and me. Good men keep out of each other's way."

Bai Gui was prime minister of Wei and Bao Qian was prime minister of Han. Bai Gui said to Bao Qian, "If you support me in Wei by the strength of Han, I will wait upon you in Han by the strength of Wei. Then I shall long be used in Wei and you shall long be used in Han."

Three. Among the middle grandees of Qi there was one named Yi She. He attended the king at his drinking, and he went out very drunk and leaned against the palace gate. The gatekeeper, a man whose feet had been cut off, knelt and asked him, "Would you not think to grant me the last drops of your wine?" Yi She shouted at him, "Away! A man left over from punishment, what business have you begging drink from your elders?" The footless man drew back. When Yi She had gone, the footless man poured water under the eaves of the palace gate, so that it looked like the mark of a man who had made water there. The next day the king came out and rebuked them, saying, "Who has made water here?" The footless man answered, "I did not see it. Even so, yesterday the middle grandee Yi She stood in this place." The king thereupon had Yi She put to death.

Two ministers of the king of Wei were on bad terms with the Lord of Jiyang. The Lord of Jiyang therefore had a man falsely forge a royal order, as though a plot were laid to attack him. The king sent a man to ask the Lord of Jiyang, "Who bears you a grudge?" He answered, "No one would dare bear me a grudge. Even so, I was once on bad terms with two men, but that is not enough to come to this." The king asked those about him, and they said, "It is indeed so." The king thereupon put the two men to death.

Ji Xin and Yuan Qian resented each other. When Sima Xi had newly fallen out with Ji Xin, he secretly had a man kill Yuan Qian, and the ruler of Zhongshan took it for Ji Xin's doing and put him to death.

The king of Chu had a favored concubine named Zheng Xiu. When the king of Chu had newly got a beautiful woman, Zheng Xiu taught her, saying, "The king is very fond of people covering their mouths. When you go near the king, be sure to cover your mouth." The beautiful woman went in to see him, and when she went near the king she covered her mouth. The king asked the reason for it, and Zheng Xiu said, "This is because she has been saying that she hates the king's smell." When the king and Zheng Xiu and the beautiful woman were sitting together, the three of them, Zheng Xiu had first warned the attendant, saying, "If the king says anything, be quick to obey the king's word." The beautiful woman came forward very close to the king and covered her mouth again and again. The king flushed with anger and said, "Cut off her nose." The attendant thereupon drew his knife and cut off the beauty's nose.

Some tell it this way. The king of Wei sent the king of Chu a beauty, and the king of Chu was greatly pleased with her. His consort Zheng Xiu knew that the king was pleased with her and loved her, and she too was pleased with her and loved her, more than the king did. As for clothes and trinkets, she chose whatever the woman wanted and gave them to her. The king said, "My consort knows that I love the new woman, and she is pleased with her and loves her more than I do. This is how a filial son supports his parents and how a loyal minister serves his ruler." The consort knew that the king did not take her for jealous, and so she said to the new woman, "The king is greatly pleased with you and loves you, but he hates your nose. When you see the king, always cover your nose, and then the king will favor you long." So the new woman followed her, and every time she saw the king she always covered her nose. The king said to his consort, "The new woman always covers her nose when she sees me. Why is that?" She answered, "I do not know." The king pressed her, and she answered, "A while ago she said that she hated to smell the king." The king was angry and said, "Cut off her nose!" The consort had first warned the attendant, saying, "If the king says anything, be sure to obey the order." The attendant thereupon drew his knife and cut off the beauty's nose.

Fei Wuji was a man close to the chief minister of Chu. Xi Wan had newly come to serve the chief minister, and the chief minister loved him greatly. Fei Wuji therefore said to the chief minister, "My lord loves Xi Wan greatly. Why not hold a drinking party once at his house?" The chief minister said, "Good." So he had the preparations made at the house of Xi Wan. Fei Wuji taught Xi Wan, saying, "The chief minister is very proud and fond of weapons. You must be careful and respectful, and set out weapons at once below the hall and in the gate court." Xi Wan did so. The chief minister came and was greatly startled, and said, "What is this?" Fei Wuji said, "My lord is in danger. Leave this place. There is no telling what is afoot." The chief minister was greatly angered, raised his soldiers against Xi Wan and in the end killed him.

Xishou and Zhang Shou had become enemies. Chen Xu, who had newly entered service, was on bad terms with Xishou, and so he had a man secretly kill Zhang Shou. The king of Wei took it for Xishou's doing and was about to put him to death.

In Zhongshan there was a poor prince whose horses were very lean and whose carriage was very worn. Among those about the ruler was one who privately bore him ill will, and this man made a plea for him to the king, saying, "The prince is very poor and his horses are very lean. Why does the king not add to their fodder?" The king did not allow it. Then the man secretly had the fodder store set on fire at night, and the king took it for the poor prince's doing and put him to death.

In Wei there was an old scholar who was on bad terms with the Lord of Jiyang. Among the retainers was one who had a private grudge against the old scholar, and he attacked the old scholar and killed him, and then made a show of doing the Lord of Jiyang a kindness, saying, "I killed him for my lord, because he was on bad terms with my lord." The Lord of Jiyang did not look into it and rewarded him.

Some tell it this way. The Lord of Jiyang had a young retainer who was not noticed and wished to come into his lord's favor. Qi sent an old scholar to dig medicinal herbs on Mount Mali, and the young retainer of Jiyang, wishing to make a merit of it, went in to see his lord and said, "Qi has sent an old scholar to dig herbs on Mount Mali. It is called digging herbs, but in truth he is spying out my lord's state. If my lord does not kill him, this will bring the Lord of Jiyang to punishment at the hands of Qi. I ask leave to stab him." The lord said, "Do so." So the next day he found him north of the city wall and stabbed him, and the Lord of Jiyang came back and held him closer than before.

Four. Chen Xu was a minister of the king of Wei, and he was on good terms with the king of Chu, and he had Chu attack Wei. When Chu attacked Wei, Chen Xu asked leave to go about and settle it for the king of Wei, and by the power of Chu he became prime minister of Wei.

In the time of Marquis Zhao of Han, millet seed once grew very dear. Marquis Zhao sent a man to turn out the granary, and the clerk had indeed stolen millet seed and sold a great deal of it.

When Zhao Xixu was in office in Chu, someone burned the granary and the storage pits, and the man was not known. Zhao Xixu had his clerks seize the man who sold thatch and question him, and he was indeed the one who had set the fire.

In the time of Marquis Zhao Xi, a cook brought up food and there was raw liver in the soup. Marquis Zhao called the cook next in line and rebuked him, saying, "Why did you put raw liver in my soup?" The cook next in line knocked his head on the ground and owned to a capital crime, saying, "I quietly wished to be rid of the cook above me."

Some tell it this way. Marquis Xi was bathing, and there were pebbles in the water. Marquis Xi said, "If the man in charge of the bath is dismissed, is there one who would take his place?" Those about him answered, "There is." Marquis Xi said, "Call him here." He rebuked him, saying, "Why did you put pebbles in the bath water?" He answered, "If the man in charge of the bath is dismissed, I can take his place. That is why I put pebbles in the bath water."

In the time of Duke Wen, the cook brought up a roast with a hair wound about it. Duke Wen called the cook and rebuked him, saying, "Do you wish me to choke? Why have you wound a hair about the roast?" The cook knocked his head on the ground, bowed twice and pleaded, saying, "I have three capital crimes. I drew the whetstone and honed my knife until it was sharp as Ganjiang, and I cut the meat and the meat parted and the hair did not part: that is my first crime. I drew the skewer and ran it through the slices and did not see the hair: that is my second crime. I held up the blazing brazier, and the charcoal burned all red, and the roast was done and the hair was not burned: that is my third crime. Can it be that below the hall there is someone who quietly hates me?" The duke said, "Good." Then he called the man below the hall and rebuked him, and it was indeed so, and he put him to death.

Some tell it this way. Duke Ping of Jin was giving wine to a guest, and a young retainer brought up a roast with a hair wound about it. Duke Ping ordered the cook killed at once, and said the order was not to be reversed. The cook cried out to Heaven, saying, "Alas! I have three crimes, and I shall die without knowing them myself!" Duke Ping said, "What do you mean?" He answered, "My knife is so sharp that bone parts as before the wind, and yet the hair did not part: that is my first death. I roasted it over mulberry charcoal, and the meat came out red and white, and yet the hair was not scorched: that is my second death. When the roast was done I opened my eyes wide and looked again, and the hair was wound about the roast and my eyes did not see it: that is my third death. I think that below the hall there must be someone who keeps himself hidden and hates me. Is it not too early to kill me?"

When the Marquis of Rang was prime minister of Qin, Qi was strong. The Marquis of Rang wished to set up Qin as emperor, but Qi would not listen, and so he asked that Qi be set up as Emperor of the East, and he could not bring it about.

Five. In the time of Duke Xian of Jin, Li Ji was noble and was reckoned the equal of the principal wife, and she wished her own son Xiqi to take the place of the crown prince Shensheng. So she made Shensheng a trouble in the eyes of the ruler and had him killed, and in the end she set up Xiqi as crown prince.

The ruler of Zheng had already set up a crown prince, but there was a beautiful woman he loved who wished to make her own son the heir. His consort was afraid, and so she used poison to harm the ruler and killed him.

Zhouyu of Wei was weighty in Wei and was reckoned the equal of the ruler, and the whole body of ministers and the common people all feared his power and weight. Zhouyu did indeed kill his ruler and seize the government.

Prince Chao was the crown prince of Zhou, and his younger brother Prince Gen was greatly favored by the ruler. When the ruler died, Prince Gen in the end revolted with the Eastern Zhou, and it was divided into two states.

King Cheng of Chu made Shangchen his crown prince, and then afterward he wished to set up Prince Zhi. Shangchen raised a revolt and in the end attacked King Cheng and killed him.

Some tell it this way. King Cheng of Chu made Shangchen his crown prince, and then he wished to set up Prince Zhi. Shangchen heard of it but could not yet make sure, and so he said to his tutor Pan Chong, "How can I make sure of it?" Pan Chong said, "Give a feast for Jiang Mi, and show her no respect." The crown prince did as he said. Jiang Mi said, "Hah, you drudge! It is fitting that the king wishes to cast you down and set up Zhi." Shangchen said, "It is true, then." Pan Chong said, "Can you serve him?" He said, "I cannot." "Can you go to the other lords for his sake?" He said, "I cannot." "Can you undertake the great affair?" He said, "I can." Then he raised the armored men of the camp and attacked King Cheng. King Cheng asked to eat a bear's paw before he died. It was not allowed, and in the end he killed himself.

Han Kui was prime minister to Marquis Ai of Han, and Yan Sui was weighty with the ruler, and the two men sought greatly to harm each other. Yan Sui then had a man stab Han Kui at court, and Han Kui ran to the ruler and embraced him, and so the man stabbed Han Kui and Marquis Ai along with him.

Tian Heng was prime minister of Qi, and Kan Zhi was weighty with Duke Jian, and the two men hated each other and wished to destroy each other. Tian Heng thereupon dealt out private favors and so took the state, and in the end he killed Duke Jian and seized the government.

Dai Huan was grand steward of Song, and Huang Xi was weighty with the ruler, and the two men contended over affairs and harmed each other. Huang Xi in the end killed the ruler of Song and seized his government.

Hu Tu said, "When the ruler of a state is fond of what is within, the crown prince is in danger; when he is fond of what is without, the prime minister is in danger."

The ruler of Zheng asked Zheng Zhao, "And how is the crown prince?" He answered, "The crown prince is not yet born." The ruler said, "The crown prince has already been set up, and you say 'he is not yet born.' Why is that?" He answered, "The crown prince has indeed been set up, but my lord does not cease to be fond of beauty. If the woman he loves has a son, my lord will surely love him, and loving him he will surely wish to make him the heir. That is why I said, 'The crown prince is not yet born.'"

Six. King Wen gave means to Fei Zhong and had him move about at Zhou's side, and had him remonstrate with Zhou and throw his mind into disorder.

The king of Chu sent a man to Qin, and the king of Qin treated him with great courtesy. The king said, "When an enemy state has a worthy man, it is a trouble to the state. Now the envoy of the king of Chu is very worthy, and I am troubled by it." His ministers remonstrated, saying, "With the king's worth and sageness and the rich means of the state, if the king desires the worthy man of the king of Chu, why does the king not come to know him deeply and hold him in secret? If Chu takes it that he is being used abroad, Chu will surely put him to death."

When Zhongni governed in Lu, what was dropped on the road was not picked up, and Duke Jing of Qi was troubled by it. Li Ju said to Duke Jing, "To be rid of Zhongni is like blowing away a hair. Why does my lord not offer to receive him with heavy salary and high place, and send Duke Ai women musicians to puff up his heart and make it proud? When Duke Ai has newly taken pleasure in them, he will surely grow slack in government, and Zhongni will surely remonstrate, and when he remonstrates he will surely break lightly with Lu." Duke Jing said, "Good." So he had Li Ju send six women musicians to Duke Ai, and Duke Ai took pleasure in them and did indeed grow slack in government. Zhongni remonstrated, and he was not listened to, and so he left and went to Chu.

The king of Chu said to Gan Xiang, "I wish to support Gan Mao with the strength of Chu and make him prime minister of Qin. Will that do?" Gan Xiang answered, "It will not do." The king said, "Why?" He said, "Gan Mao when young served Master Shi Ju. Shi Ju was a gatekeeper of Shangcai. In great things he did not serve a ruler and in small things he did not care for his household, and he was known throughout the world for being harsh and severe, and Gan Mao served him and was compliant with him. Under the brightness of King Hui and the eloquence of Zhang Yi, Gan Mao served and took ten offices and escaped punishment. This is because Gan Mao is worthy." The king said, "When a prime minister is set up in an enemy state, how can it be wrong to set up a worthy man?" Gan Xiang said, "In an earlier time the king sent Shao Hua to Yue, and in five years he was able to bring Yue down. The reason it was so is that Yue was in disorder and Chu was well governed. In those days the king knew how to use this against Yue, and now he forgets it with Qin. Is that not forgetting far too quickly?" The king said, "Then what is to be done?" Gan Xiang answered, "Nothing is so good as to make Gongli prime minister." The king said, "How is Gongli fit to be prime minister?" He answered, "Gongli when young was favored and loved, and when grown he became a noble minister. He wears the king's robes, holds duruo in his mouth and a jade ring in his hand, and hears affairs at court, and he is also useful for throwing Qin into disorder."

Wu attacked Chu, and Wu Zixu sent men to spread a word in Chu, saying, "If Ziqi is used, we will strike; if Zichang is used, we will go away." The men of Chu heard it, and so they used Zichang and set Ziqi aside. The men of Wu struck, and in the end they defeated Chu.

When Duke Xian of Jin was to attack Yu and Guo, he sent them the team of four horses from Qu, the jade disc of Chuiji and six women musicians, to puff up their hearts and throw their government into disorder.

When Shuxiang slandered Chang Hong, he made a letter saying, "Chang Hong said to Shuxiang, 'Speak for me to the ruler of Jin. The time he appointed with the ruler has come. Why does he not come quickly with his soldiers?'" Then he dropped the letter on purpose in the courtyard of the ruler of Zhou and hurried away. Zhou took it that Chang Hong had sold Zhou, and so they put Chang Hong to death.

Duke Huan of Zheng was about to raid Kuai. First he asked after the bold men of Kuai, its good ministers and its eloquent, wise and daring gentlemen, and wrote down all their family names and their given names. He chose the good fields of Kuai and said they would be given to them as bribes, and he made up names of offices and ranks and wrote them down. Then he set up an altar outside the outer gate of the city and buried the writing there, and smeared it with the blood of a cock and a boar, as if it were an oath. The ruler of Kuai took it for trouble within and killed all his good ministers. Duke Huan raided Kuai and in the end took it.

Seven. The dwarf of Qin was on good terms with the king of Chu, and he was also secretly on good terms with those about the king of Chu, while within he was weighty with Lord Huiwen. Whenever Chu had a plan afoot, the dwarf always heard of it first and told Lord Huiwen.

Xiang Ci, the magistrate of Ye, was secretly on good terms with those about the king of Zhao. Whenever the king of Zhao planned a raid on Ye, Xiang Ci always heard of it at once and told the king of Wei first. The king of Wei made ready for it, and Zhao at once turned back.

In the time of Duke Si of Wei, he placed a man among the attendants of a county magistrate. The magistrate took up his mat and found it very worn, and Duke Si at once had a man send him a mat, saying, "I hear that today you took up your mat and that it was very worn. I bestow a mat upon you." The magistrate was greatly startled and took his ruler for a spirit.